Changing Names (Thais)

[Tywais]

One of our secretaries asked me if I would change her name for her e-mail account, which she uses her first name for. She wanted to use a different first name and that confused me. Found out that she legally changed it because she didn't like her original one. Then found out our house keeper at the lab also did it, same reason - not a good name

I started discussing this with another member at the lab and it appears if one wants to change their first name or even their last name (if not married) then it is very easy to do legally, just go to the amphur and submit some documents. Have to say this is a first for me. Back home you have to go through court proceedings and a lot of red tape to do this AFAIK. Seems to be an open avenue for criminals also.

Anyone else hear about this?

[kmart]

Loads of my Thai contacts / customers for business have changed their names recently. Some changed their names when their company name changed. Some just change their names when they get "bored" or think they need a lucky break in life...

To me, such easy and casual name-changing seems to be very conducive to fraud (insurance / credit, eg)???

[keemapoot]

Yes, I know several Thais who have done or are thinking of doing this. Often, it is after visiting a fortune teller, who tells them this will improve their luck. They think nothing of doing it surprisingly. Yeah, it would seem to open up a huge world of identify fraud potential for criminal minds.

At the same time, I know married couples who, on the advice of a fortune teller, divorced but stayed together in the belief that their misfortunes were somehow tied to a wrong legal marriage or something.

Edited November 8, 2007 by keemapoot

[Mobi]

It's a very popular pass time -especailly amongst the young, and has much to do with bloody fortune tellers and auspicious names and non -auspicious names.

About six months ago I went to the Chonburi amphur to carry out some 'marital' business, and we had to wait all day because the place was full of young adults either getting divorced ... or... you guessed it - changing their names. It was before a big Thai holiday and apparently an even greater need to have a new name.

Superstitious claptrap!

[TheDon]

I wants to change my name to ZUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kmart]

I wants to change my name to ZUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't you mean "Zeus", supreme Greek god of the Olympians...? I'd confirm the spelling before you actually, legally change your name, or have any tattoos done, sparky.

[TheDon]

Simple typo there.

ZEUS fits me perfectly i think

[Travel2003]

I wants to change my name to ZUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't you mean "Zeus", supreme Greek god of the Olympians...? I'd confirm the spelling before you actually, legally change your name, or have any tattoos done, sparky.

He might have meant Suez (in Egypt).

[GuestHouse]

I've known three people who have changed their names because for some reason they didn't like the name they had - all three where 'nut jobs'.

[lomatopo]

In the few examples I am aware of it seems to have been prompted by fortune tellers. I was a bit surprised as I would have thought that parents would have consulted monks/fortune tellers at the time of birth for the best name, and that changing your name later in life might seem disrespectful to your parents. I thought that it was much more difficult to change your last or family name here?

[kmart]

I've known three people who have changed their names because for some reason they didn't like the name they had - all three where 'nut jobs'.

I have at least 5 supposedly educated "senior engineer" clients working for major oil refineries who have recently changed their names...?

"Please feel free to pick up an engineering degree on the way to the fortune teller..." Jeebus.

[Farma]

I know a few who have changed names too. Just like the examples of the house maid and the secretary, one lady changed her birth name.

The others were men who worked in another asian country. As explained to me, the laws prevented foreign workers from working more than 2 years in that country.

If their employer was satisfied with their work they would be invited back. They would come back to Thailand, change their name, get a new passport then return to their old jobs.

[keemapoot]

Yes, this has little to do with education or station in life is seems. Must be a cultural thing. I know a very successful entrepreneur couple, farang husband/thai wife. They had a downturn in business for a couple years, went to a fortune teller. She told them to divorce. They have a couple kids. They ran to the Amphur and de-hitched, but remained together. Two years later, their fortunes haven't changed.

I'll never understand it... I guess next thing the fortune teller will tell them to balcony jump?

[stateman]

If the Governments of this country rely on fortune tellers and mystics to make policy it comes as no surprise that the average Thai listens to them also.

Not only the governments do this.

Gen. Sonthi and several other generals in his team all do.

The kings have done this throughout the 7-800 or so years of history, even now.

Kings even had official astrologers under employed.

The entire SE Asia has been like this also. Guess why Myanmar moved their capital recently.

Yes!

In the few examples I am aware of it seems to have been prompted by fortune tellers. I was a bit surprised as I would have thought that parents would have consulted monks/fortune tellers at the time of birth for the best name, and that changing your name later in life might seem disrespectful to your parents. I thought that it was much more difficult to change your last or family name here?

It is an accepted thing to do.

Many parents didn't check with astrologers. Later if the kids want to do it, they would get sympathetic understanding from their parents.

It's a cultural thing.

Edited November 8, 2007 by stateman

[TheDon]

If my names was weird I would definately change it. Imagina having a name

<deleted> Yo

Wayne Kerr

<deleted> Mi

or something along those lines, if i had a really long name i would probaly change it too

[dominique355]

While it is easy indeed to change a name here in Thailand, at least as far as the government procedures are concerned, there is a whole bunch of problems following this. After the official name change, you need to record this change of name against your bank accounts, your driver license, your insurances, your house book etc etc etc.

I know someone who changed his name, then wanted to cash a check made out on her old name ... OMG ... you wouldn't believe the problems.

What seems to be an easy thing at first can turn out to be a nightmare, when foreign documents are involved. I would not advise anyone to do it, not even when the fortune teller says so.

[Tywais]

While it is easy indeed to change a name here in Thailand, at least as far as the government procedures are concerned, there is a whole bunch of problems following this. After the official name change, you need to record this change of name against your bank accounts, your driver license, your insurances, your house book etc etc etc.

That was something I was thinking also and one of the first things I asked. She just smiled and basically said 'no problem'. I was thinking if I could change my name (though not interested - perfectly good name already) , the incredible complications it would entail. There are endless documents, certificates, passport, etc. that need updated. However, if I understood correctly, maybe it isn't necessary - seemed she said just need to show the name change document with the previous name documents. I suspect it's not quite that simple though, but then with so many doing it......

[kopite]

my missus did it a year ago after a trip to the temple. she hated her name as it was old style thai etc...

boonham now rujilapa

i prefer the later to be honest

[speleo]

The others were men who worked in another asian country. As explained to me, the laws prevented foreign workers from working more than 2 years in that country.

If their employer was satisfied with their work they would be invited back. They would come back to Thailand, change their name, get a new passport then return to their old jobs.

The brother-in-law works in Libya. He once had to come home a few months before the end of his one year visa/contract which meant the Libyians wouldn't issue a new visa. The solution was simple: change name, get new passport, apply for visa and go back to work.

[JUDAS]

Was looking at a customers paperwork today. His name was Christoph Shittey. He must be a prime candidate for name change. I mean, who would want to be known as Christoph!!

[Pepe']

My "ex" mother-in -law, on the advice of a monk fortune teller changed her name from Suwan, to Siriporn to Siriluk.

When here luck didn't change, that is she hoped to become even richer than she already was, she changed it back to Suwan again...

My ex said she wanted to divorce because a monk predicted we would.

Guess what?

HE WAS RIGHT!!!

[Scott]

I work in a school and it's a major nightmare. Kids (or parents on behalf of their children), change the names routinely. We have to then change all the namelists, records etc. Since some of these are permanent record and date back aways, it's quite hard to keep track of them.

I think the record holder so far was a boy whose mother changed his name 7 times. He had even seem to have lost name recognition. To get his attention, you had to use the not-so-well-liked "hey, you". I eventually reverted to his original name, which he responded well too.

He didn't have any reason for changing his name, it was always his (slightly crazy) mother's idea.

Occasionally, I get requests for grades, transcripts and recommendations from Universities on behalf of students, but I have to write and say I don't know who they are, could they supply the name they attended our school on!

[Mobi]

Every time My wife goes to a fortune teller they tell her the same thing. That she is married to a an older farang who loves her very much and that she will be very rich!!

Sometimes I wish they would tell her that he's nasty piece of work and that she should divorce him before she loses all her money

Maybe I can find my own 'friendly' fortune teller.

Seriously though, I have found that the fortune tellers will invariably tell gullible women pretty much what they want to hear - what a load of <deleted>

[Neeranam]

It's a cultural thing - don't mock it because you don't believe/understand it.

[Naam]

Was looking at a customers paperwork today. His name was Christoph Shittey. He must be a prime candidate for name change. I mean, who would want to be known as Christoph!!

:D

[PadThaiGuy]

It's a fraud by Fortune Tellers.

First they tell them they have an unlucky name then for a fee they give them a lucky name.

[t.s]

I wants to change my name to ZUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and change it again shortly thereafter once you discover you misspelled it.

[PattayaParent]

If my names was weird I would definately change it. Imagina having a name

<deleted> Yo

Wayne Kerr

<deleted> Mi

or something along those lines, if i had a really long name i would probaly change it too

Phuc is a common name in Viet Nam (ph = f)

and I've seen a sign for a restaurant (in LA I thiink) Phat Phuc's.

Or what about a previous Korean Prime Minister - Lee Bum Suk

Edited November 9, 2007 by PattayaParent

[PattayaParent]

If the Governments of this country rely on fortune tellers and mystics to make policy it comes as no surprise that the average Thai listens to them also.

Didn't Ronald Reagan run the US by making policy based on his wife's fortune tellers readings!

[gregb]

I have at least 5 supposedly educated "senior engineer" clients working for major oil refineries who have recently changed their names...?

"Please feel free to pick up an engineering degree on the way to the fortune teller..." Jeebus.

You guys just like to mock anything you don't believe don't you? Just for the record, the Thai's think we farangs are pretty whacked out also.

You know, we have this crazy religious cult where women change their name, put on a white dress and have a big ceremony where they marry the dead founder of their religion. Cult's name? Catholicism.

Anything you don't understand can sound crazy if you don't grow up with it.

BTW, my wife changed her name because she thought it wasn't lucky. Didn't need the fortune teller. Did it all on her own. Her parents thought it was a very normal thing. I have a feeling mine would be offended if I did the same thing.